The law firm of Flaherty & Hood, P.A. is pleased to announce that former State Senator Erik Simonson has joined its legislative advocacy team.
Simonson brings to the firm many years of valuable public service experience, as well as extensive knowledge of issues that are important to Flaherty & Hood’s clients in Greater Minnesota and throughout the state. A resident of Duluth, Simonson served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016, and the Minnesota Senate from 2017 to 2020. He was elected Assistant Minority Leader of the Senate DFL Caucus in 2020 and focused heavily on issues important to Greater Minnesota throughout his entire legislative career. He retired from the Duluth Fire Department as an Assistant Chief in 2017 and has worked in top management positions in both the non-profit community and the public higher education workforce development community.
As a legislator, Simonson served on committees related to jobs and economic development, taxes, environment and energy, and public safety. Among his legislative accomplishments are serving as chief author of legislation to create the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program which has expanded high-quality broadband service across Minnesota, working closely with local governments and statewide interest groups to refine and update the Local Government Aid formula, championing legislation related to the dangers of synthetic drugs, and securing more than $100 million in infrastructure funding to support projects in Duluth.
“I’m excited to take on a new role where I can use my experience as a legislator to continue to advocate for the needs of Minnesota communities and businesses,” Simonson said. “The team at Flaherty & Hood is known for their policy expertise and passion for their clients, and I look forward to the jumping right to work tackling important issues this legislative session.”
Bradley Peterson, shareholder and head of the legislative practice at Flaherty & Hood, added, “We are thrilled to welcome Erik to our team. As a legislator, Erik proved he is willing to engage with both sides of the political aisle to accomplish effective and pragmatic policy initiatives. With his background as a former lawmaker and lifelong resident of Minnesota, he is a great fit for our firm and will be an asset to our clients.”
Flaherty & Hood, P.A. has provided legal and legislative services for more than 25 years. Its clients include the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, Greater Minnesota Partnership, Missouri River Energy Services, U.S. Highway 14 Partnership, and numerous other associations and local governments.
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